BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 123
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 10, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 123 (Bonta) - As Amended: April 2, 2013
Policy Committee: Education
Vote:6-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to ensure
that state curriculum and framework, where appropriate, include
information on the role of immigrants, including Filipino
Americans, in the history of the farm labor movement, as
specified.
FISCAL EFFECT
One-time GF administrative costs, likely between $125,000 and
$150,000, to the State Department of Education (SDE), to update
the state's model curriculum on Cesar Chavez, which provides
guidance to K-12 teachers to instruct pupils on the history of
the farm labor movement, to include information on Filipino
Americans and their role in this movement. SB 984 (Polanco),
Chapter 213, Statutes of 2000, allocated $1 million to the
Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop this model
curriculum, as specified.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . According to the author, "The American farm labor
movement has had a tremendous impact on the history of
California. However, the story of the Filipino Americans'
contributions to this great movement has been widely untold in
our schools." The author further notes the contributions of
"influential Filipino American leaders in the movement - such
as Larry Itliong - are unknown to most of our school children.
Itliong was one of the leaders of the Agricultural Workers
Organization Committee, who unified farm workers and started
the Delano Grape Strike of 1965-1970. This strike was pivotal
AB 123
Page 2
in inspiring the farm labor movement towards ending the
suppression and oppression of farm workers' rights. Itliong
and many others deserve to have their stories shared with
future generations."
2)Existing law . SB 984 (Polanco), Chapter 213, Statutes of
2000, established a paid holiday for state employees in honor
of Cesar Chavez, founder of the United Farmworkers Union and
prominent farm labor leader in California. Chapter 213 also
required the SBE to ensure that state curriculum and
frameworks, where appropriate, include instruction on Cesar
Chavez and the history of the farm labor movement in the
United States. Statute also requires criteria selecting
textbooks to include this information as well.
In February 2002, SDE released the Cesar Chavez Model
Curriculum, an Internet-based curriculum available to all K-12
teachers and students. The curriculum provides suggested
lessons for grades K-12 that integrate the life and lessons of
Mr. Chavez and align them with state history-social state
content standards.
The 2005 History-Social Science Curriculum Framework directs
instruction to fourth and eleventh graders to "understand the
role of labor in industry and agriculture, including how Cesar
Chavez, through nonviolent tactics, educated the general
public about the working conditions in agriculture and led the
movement to improve the lives of farmworkers." This framework
does not reference the role of Filipino Americans in the farm
labor movement.
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081